Park Service asks Occupy DC to remove camping materials by Monday

The National Park Service is asking Occupy DC protesters in McPherson Square and Freedom Plaza to remove all camping material from the parks by Monday – and protesters who do not comply could be arrested, according to a flyer distributed at the camps Friday.

Starting at noon Monday, U.S. Park Police who see camping violations in the park could arrest "individual violators" and seize their property, the flyer says.

NPS regulations have long prohibited camping – defined as sleeping or preparing to sleep in the park – but the Park Service has not enforced the ban until now.

At a hearing Tuesday, members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee told Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis to enforce the camping ban. He informed committee members that the Park Service would issue one final warning – today's flyer – to protesters before enforcement began.

The Park Service said, however, that the Occupiers in McPherson are still considered a "24-hour vigil" and so while they won't be allowed to continue sleeping in the park there won't be any wholesale eviction of demonstrators.